Snedeker suffers epic water hazard fail

Sometimes in golf it's better to just bite the bullet and take a drop shot as Brandt Snedeker found out in an embarrassing water hazard mishap at the Honda Classic on Thursday.

Snedeker suffers epic water hazard fail

The American got off to a rough start at the PGA National - typified by his nightmare second hole - the par-three 17th.

Playing in a group with Tiger Woods and Patton Kizzire, Snedeker's ball found the edge of the water just off to the side of the green.

Rather than take a penalty stroke and give himself a better chance of recovery, the American decided to chance his arm by attempting the much more difficult shot out of the water.

It didn't go well.

The 37-year-old's shot popped up out of the water and rolled part of the way up the slope he was standing at, before rolling straight back down and ending up almost exactly where he hit it from.

Snedeker stood in the water for three shots on the hole before finally getting his ball out of the hazard.

He ended up carding a triple-bogey in a disappointing start to a round that saw him finish at 4-over 74.

Woods got off to a solid start in his opening round. Pic: Getty

Woods said he was "very pleased" with an even-par 70 in a first round that left him four shots behind clubhouse leader Alex Noren of Sweden.

Woods called it the best ball-striking round of his latest comeback, which has included a tie for 23rd at Torrey Pines last month and a missed cut at Riviera in Los Angeles last week.

"I'm very pleased," said the 14-time major champion, who had three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey in difficult, blustery conditions at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

"Today was not easy. It's going to get more difficult because these greens are not the best. It was tough all around today. The wind was playing really hard, the rough's up and it's really tough to make putts out there."

Nevertheless, Woods matched his best opening round in four appearances at PGA National.

His decision to play in Florida this week marks his first attempt at back-to-back tournaments since 2015 as he vies to become a contender again in the wake of spinal fusion surgery last April.

Adam Scott spectacularly threw away his chances of joining the first-round lead in Florida.

In windy conditions, the Aussie made a meal of the par-3 15th and 17th only moments after coming within two of the lead.

Scott plummeted to a three-over-par 73 and will begin Friday's second round seven shots off the lead.